And here it is, folks. The LG G3 — the latest in a line that began with the Optimus G (the "Optimus" name was retired with the G2, as you'll recall) and now continues with what you see here. Following some pretty extensive (but not all-inclusive) leaks, LG unveiled the G3 today in both London and New York with a huge level of hype.

The LG G3 is naturally a step forward in terms of specs and design from that of the G2, with a few neat features thrown in. We're looking at a 5.5-inch QHD (that's Quad HD, 2560 x 1440) display producing 538ppi, 3GB of RAM, 3000mAh battery, 16/32GB of storage and a 13MP OIS+ camera with a new "laser" focusing mode. On the design side, LG is claiming that the new arc design and metallic finish make the G3 easier to hold, even with the increased screen size.

New software features carrying the "Smart" prefix — Smart Keyboard, Smart Notice and Smart Security — highlight a new software design with a "minimalist" flat design.

We're following all of the LG G3 news coming out of London and will be coming to you with all of the coverage you crave throughout the afternoon. Keep your browser locked onto Android Central for the latest.

WITH NEW G3, LG AIMS TO REDEFINE CONCEPT OF SMART AND SIMPLE

New G3 Builds on Legacy of the Acclaimed G Series with "Simple is the New Smart"

LONDON, May 27, 2014 ― LG Electronics (LG) today introduced to the world its eagerly anticipated G3 smartphone, the successor to the company's well-received LG G2. With launch events taking place in six cities worldwide ― London, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore and Istanbul ― LG G3 aims to redefine the definition of a global smartphone for global customers.

Developed under the Simple is the New Smart concept, LG G3 is a culmination of consumer research based on LG's product development philosophy, Learning from You. The LG G3 was empowered with the best of what current technology has to offer, providing consumers with a user experience more ambitious than anything offered before by LG.

"The smartest innovation in a fast evolving smartphone market is creating harmony between advanced technology and a simplified user experience," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of the LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "LG G3 is the result of our effort to actualize that idea into a tangible product. And we are extremely pleased with the result."

Highlights of the new G3 include:

5.5-inch Quad HD display with 538ppi with four times the resolution of HD and almost two times higher resolution than a Full HD display

13MP OIS+ (Optical Image Stabilizer Plus) camera with a revolutionary Laser Auto Focus that can shoot stunningly sharp images in a fraction of the time required by conventional phone cameras

Polished metallic skin on the rear cover that is lightweight, fingerprint-proof and most of all, beautiful

Floating Arc form factor that feels incredibly comfortable in one hand and incorporates the innovative design heritage of the Rear Key

Redesigned graphic user interface (GUI) consistent with the Simple is the New Smart concept of the G3

True-to-Life Viewing Experience
LG's reputation in the display arena is second to none and the development of the G3's breathtaking Quad HD display was the result of years of innovation in display technology. With a pixel density of 538ppi, the G3's Quad HD display sets new viewing standard producing images that are sharper and clearer than traditional smartphone displays. At 5.5-inches, LG G3 boasts a screen ratio of 76.4 percent with thin bezels all around so the phone feels as comfortable in the hand as a smaller traditional smartphone.

The high resolution display on the G3 also required LG engineers to pair it with battery technology that was just as innovative. LG equipped the G3 with a 3,000mAh removable battery and advanced optimization technologies to further maximize battery efficiency. By replacing the metal in the battery cathode with graphite, LG engineers were able to extend the lifespan of the G3's battery. The result is a battery that can keep up with the Quad HD display's ultra-high performance without losing steam in the middle of the day.

Simply Captivating
The G3's advanced 13MP OIS+ camera is designed to quickly and easily capture life's special moments as they occur, not necessarily when you want them to occur. This is made possible with G3's innovative Laser Auto Focus, the first of its kind in the smartphone industry. This technology enables the G3 to capture the best moment ― even in low light ― by measuring the distance between the subject and the camera using a laser beam. So no more fuzzy pictures of your son scoring his first football goal and or missed shots because your camera couldn't decide quickly enough which toddler in the playground to focus on. Combined with the proven and popular OIS+ technology first seen in the G Pro 2, the G3 is sure to impress even the most discerning shutterbugs.

LG also simplified the process of actually capturing those special moments. Rather than having to focus on the subject in preview mode and then pressing the shutter button, with the G3, tapping the subject to focus will simultaneously also trigger the shutter. What's more, the G3's 2.1MP front camera incorporates several new enhancements such as a larger image sensor and larger aperture for more light throughput and better-looking selfies. A unique twist has been added to the standard timed selfie mode by incorporating gesture controls ― when ready to shoot, simply clench your hand into a fist and the G3 will recognize the gesture and begin the automatic three-second countdown. It couldn't get any simpler than that.

For video, the G3 offers superior sound quality with instinctive microphones that measure the environment to identify the optimal audio level for the clearest recording. And with the built-in 1W speaker with Boost AMP, users can enjoy videos and music accompanied by richer sounds and clearer tones.

Balanced and Simplified Design Language
The Floating Arc design of the G3 with its ergonomic arch and slim side profile provides an extremely comfortable grip for everyday one-handed use. The Rear Key continues to anchor LG's innovative design language, with a newly designed power key and volume buttons as well as more premium quality materials and finish. LG also refined sophisticated technical features and advancements located on the rear by arranging them in a clean and singular layout consistent with the G3's well-balanced design language. The stylish metallic skin with matte finish which keeps the G3 looking clean and fingerprint-free will be offered in five vibrant colors: Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold, Moon Violet and Burgundy Red.

To complement the new external design, LG adopted a minimalistic user interface design with flat graphics. The circular motif of the graphic assets in the new UI was derived from the shape and concept of LG's logo, reflecting its unique visual style and identity.

Simplified UX to Reflect Simple Pleasures
In addition to the advanced core technologies, LG took its Learning from You approach to a higher level with new UX features to offer G3 users a unique experience unlike any previous LG smartphone. Highlights include:

Smart Keyboard: Adaptive technology learns as you type for faster input with less mistakes. Smart Keyboard reduces input errors by up to 75 percent by tracking and analyzing typing habits and intuitively "knowing" what word the user intended to type. The height of the keyboard can also be adjusted to better fit the user's hands and position of the thumbs. Individual keys can also be customized with frequently used symbols for even faster input.

Smart Notice: Like a personal assistant, Smart Notice provides suggestions and recommendations based on user behavior, phone usage patterns and location to offer user information when it's needed the most. Smart Notice can remind you of a call you declined earlier and ask if you would like to call that person back. If you have a large number of unused files or apps on the G3 taking up valuable space, Smart Notice will ask if you would like to delete or uninstall them. But what sets Smart Notice apart from other personal assistants is its natural language capabilities. For example, instead of just displaying today's temperature and weather forecast, Smart Notice will make a recommendation such as, "You may want to take an umbrella today since it will rain this evening."

Smart Security: Understanding the importance of maintaining and securing confidential data when smartphones are shared, misplaced, lost or stolen, the LG G3 offers a number of enhanced security features such as:

Knock CodeTM enables users to unlock their device with a pattern of taps. Merging security and convenience, users can create a personalized code that can be entered anywhere on the screen. With the G3, users have the option of being able to use KnockON to wake the screen to check the time as well as enter the home screen directly via Knock CodeTM.

Content Lock keeps personal files safe and hidden from view when sharing the G3 with friends. When the G3 is connected to a PC, Content Lock prevents file previews so the data is still safe. The locked files can reside either on the G3's internal memory or on the microSD card.

Kill Switch gives G3 owners the ability to disable their phones remotely in the event of theft. The Kill Switch also allows content on the G3 to be wiped so personal information won't be compromised. Kill Switch also includes antivirus scanning and remote wipe and lock, among other essential features.

LG will also be offering a collection of new premium accessories to accompany the LG G3:

QuickCircleTM Case: Available in five colors, QuickCircleTM Case allows easy access to frequently used functions such as calling, text messaging, music and camera all from the QuickCircle window without opening the cover. In addition to the QuickCircleTM Case, LG will offer a lineup of Slim Guard Cases and premium Slim Hard Cases to protect the G3 in handsome style.

LG Tone InfinimTM (HBS-900): Developed in collaboration with Harman/Kardon, the Bluetooth stereo headset delivers premium audio quality sound in a stylish design. Built with retractable wire management technology and jog buttons for effortless search, Tone Infinim also features Name AlertTM to verbally notify you who is calling before you answer.

Wireless Charger: Compact and foldable, LG's Wireless Charger is optimized for easy portability. Compatible with Qi's wireless power charging technology, the Wireless Charger from LG makes staying powered up as convenient as possible.

Starting on May 28 in South Korea, LG G3 will begin rolling out worldwide on over 170 carriers. Additional details will be announced locally at the time of availability.

Looks good to me. Smart keyboard could be interesting, will be tough to dethrone Swiftkey though. Interesting to see the 2/3GB DDR3 RAM and 16/32 GB. Not sure how I feel about the removable battery being true, but I think I could deal with it, I would never actually remove it though. Loving the Quickcircle case, and how they expanded on the usefulness of the quickwindow, the circle is more appealing looking than the rounded corner rectangle.

In the UK we could not get the 32Gb version of the G2 unless we bought a grey (imported) version. Apparently LG "decided" that UK buyers did not want it. Somehow the hundreds of people begging them and their sellers to offer it, did not get through to them; perhaps they were as arrogant and thick as Apple and Samsung after all.

Even if you never HAVE to remove the battery it might be a good idea. Sometimes the batteries break down chemically & rupture (this happened to a journalists Mac Book Air once - it almost melted on his lap!). If the back pops off, you can remove it, save your phone and replace a defective or worn out battery.

Personally I think LG finally got the message; people want Micro SD cards and removable batteries, that is why we buy Samsung phones; perhaps they really did listen to the user feedback this time. Also - some postal systems (such as Australia) WILL NOT carry items with Lithium Batteries inside.

Unfortunately. The masses are convinced that only aluminum doth a "premium" phone make. I've just started asking people, when they talk about how aluminum is a "premium" material, "Does that mean all those soda cans in my fridge have 'premium build quality'?"

Dude, you take things too seriously! But, the site doesn't have a dark theme which is highly functional for me, and it's not like the app takes hundreds of megabytes. Yeah they need notifications though and ad's would help keep the lights on but they're working on those. Also it's 19:30 in my country, my desktop is at home, I am not. That's a BIG app advantage.

To be clear, I'm not in any of these groups: cool, kids, cool kids. :p

Which is why Sammy included that in the Note 3. It's not the best specs ever, and I'm also a little worried about the Adreno 330 being able to push so many pixels and keep a good frame rate without melting. But, I guess there's no point in continuing to argue about the insane screen resolutions that are coming.

Same specs except for the larger display and the larger battery and extra gig of ram. The s5 does have the water resistant advantage but I think people would prefer the screen /size of the G3 with a bigger battery and the extra gig of ram. Also the s5 has not been launched in 32gb so that maybe another point if the G3 does launch with 32gb internal.

I agree. Same applies to the M8. But isn't it always true ..... having the "latest and greatest" is very short lived! And just start reading between the lines ...... you can tell who has the S5 or the M8 ...... immediate defensive posture. However, let me say, if you got any of these phones ...... you're sporting some serious hardware!

Considering that website just take whatever random visitors type in (that those items are *often* grossly inaccurate) I don't know that I would put much faith in that as a source of "proof" of anything.

First, learn how to spell. You use "to" and "too" interchangeably. They aren't the same word, or so I was told in second grade.

Yes, the screen isn't AMOLED. It may not have "true black," but LCD displays in general are much more color-accurate than AMOLED. So Samsung is better at "true black," but they lose at the 16 million other colors that modern phones can display.

Water and dust proofing weren't an issue for you until the S5 added that feature, otherwise you'd have a Sony phone.

It's less than 2mm wider than other flagship phones, so there's no justification to single the LG out.

If you understand numbers and mathematics, the laser auto-focus is explicitly faster.

Not trying to say you should consider one thing or another, but Knox really isn't any kind of big deal. If that's really the only thing keeping you from considering the S5, I would recommend not worrying about it so much.

Very interesting specs. Blow both the One and the S5 out of the water imo. Definitely looking forward to seeing the QHD display but with rumours pointing at an S5 Prime, it won't be too long before the G3 left as the only kid on the block with a QHD display. But obviously, specs are only on paper and the actual performance of the phone is what really matters.
Posted from my de-TouchWized Samsung Galaxy S3 running SlimKat 4.4.2

Except the LG G3 differentiates itself from the S5 and M8 in practically every aspect possible.
Other than size preference and those with a propensity to drop their phone in the toilet, currently there isn't a single item on the usual and customary list of objections.

I just hope that the battery life translates well. I need to upgrade from my Nexus 5. In the battery department. Everything else is solid on this device. I love how they have different RAM sets a well.

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